Microphone for apparatus to check the rate of timepiece movements



March 27, 1962 F. MARTI ETAL 3,026,707

MICROPHONE FOR APPARATUS TO CHECK THE RATE OF TIMEPIECE MOVEMENTS FiledJuly 15, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS gem-yes Brawwckweay arz:S'c/wcaoi @zQW March 27, 1962 F. MART] ETAL 3,026,707

MICROPHONE FOR APPARATUS To CHECK THE RATE OF TIMEPIECE MOVEMENTS FiledJuly 15, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 f6 /5' 77; F a I l| L I 3,026,707MICROPHONE FOR APPARATUS TO CIECK THE RATE OF TIMEPIECE MOVEMENTS)Frdric Marti, Georges Braunschweig, and J can Schaad,

all of 165 Rue Nurna-Droz, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland Filed July 15,1958, Ser. No. 748,735 Claims priority, application Switzerland July 19,1957 2 Claims. (Cl. 73-6) 7 This invention relates to improvements inthe construction of microphones for apparatus to check the rate of watchand clock movements and has for its object to provide a microphone ofthis character having a support, a case enclosing a piezoelectric devicewith means for removably securing a timepiece to be checked on theobservation surface of said case, and pivoting means whereby theobservation surface of said case may be readily brought into anyposition in two orthogonal planes.

With this and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction as will be more fully described, andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings represent, by Way of example, a preferredembodiment of the invention.

FIGURES l and 2 are comprehensive perspective views of the microphoneshowing its case in difierent positions of its observation surface.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical partial section through the axis of a horizontalarm of the support, and

FIGURE 4 is a section along line IV-IV of FIG. 3.

The microphone represented comprises a support 1 composed of ahorse-shoe shaped base 1a, an upright 1b made integral with the base,and a hollow horizontal supporting arm 2 fixed to the upright lb or madeintegral therewith and designed for the passage of a flexible cable 3 toconnect electrically a piezoelectric device 4 enclosed in a rectangularcase 5 to an apparatus (not shown) to check the rate of timepiecemovements.

On a reduced diameter extension 2a of the horizont supporting arm 2 isrotatably mounted an arm 6, the cylindrical shaft of which ends in anearlycubical hollow head 6a, (FIG. 4), of which two opposite side wallsare provided with a hole; these holes serve to support a fixed hollowshaft 7 which extends perpendicularly to the arm 6; both ends of thisshaft 7 protrude beyond head 6a and are engaged with the cheeks 8 of ametallic frame 9 solid with case body 5. This latter is thereforepivoted on one hand about the axis of shaft 7, and on the other hand, bymeans of shaft 7 and arm 6, about the geometrical axis of the horizontalsupporting arm 2. It can therefore take in the space all the desirablepositions.

thanks to its pivoting in two orthogonal planes.

The two checks 8 of frame 9 which are pivotally mounted on the ends ofthe fixed shaft 7 are made integral V fingers 11 and fingers 12 of aspring loaded slide, or in the case of a. desk watch or a'big watch,simply leaned against fixed fingers 11.

To ensure a better poise of the case 5, shaft 7 is arranged nearly atthe centre of gravity of the case, behind the part of this case whichencloses the piezoelectric de- 3,026,707 Patented lViar. 27, 1962 vice4. The electric connection between flexible cable 3 and piezoelectricdevice 4 is made through a metallic rod 22 maintained in contact byspring 13 through a hole radial to fixed hollow shaft 7 with a pin 14pressed by a spring 15 (FIG. 4) against a small metal piece 16 fixed toa cap 17 and welded to the end of a wire 18 connected to the crystal ofthe piezoelectric device 4.

The hollow shaft 7 is made of insulating material like the inner lining19 of the hollow supporting arm 2 and its extensions 2a.

What is claimed is:

l. Timepiece holding apparatus having an internal microphone and beingadjustable to hold a timepiece in various positions to check its rate,said apparatus including a frame having a generally horizontal arm, ahollow member rotatably mounted on the end of said arm and having apivot shaft generally at right angles to said arm, a case mounted onsaid shaft and swingable therearound from a position generally parallelto said arm to a position generally at right angles thereto, amicrophone mounted in said case substantially along the axis of saidarm, and electric circuit means to establish a connection from saidmicrophone to a remote position, said circuit means including aspring-loaded conductive portion coaxial with said arm and projectingaxially against a center portion of said hollow member to permit saidmember to rotate in either direction around said arm an unlimitedamount, said shaft having an outer insulating sleeve and an innerconducting pin connected to said microphone, the end of said coaxialconducting portion projecting at right angles against the center of saidconducting pin, whereby said case can swing on said shaft.

2. Timepiece holding apparatus having an internal microphone and beingadjustable to hold a timepiece in various positions to check its rate,said apparatus including a frame having a generally horizontal arm, ahollow member rotatably mounted on the end of said arm and having apivot shaft generally at right angles to said arm, a case mounted onsaid shaft and swingable therearound from a position generally parallelto said arm to a position generally at right angles thereto, amicrophone mounted in said case substantially along the axis of saidarm, and electric circuit means to establish a connection from saidmicrophone to a remote position, said case surrounding the ends of saidshaft partially encircling said arm, eing generally rectangular inshape, and extending approximately equally infront of and behind saidshaft, said microphone being enclosed in the forward portion of saidcase, whereby said case tends to counterbalance itself when holding atimepiece.

' References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS284,805 Brewtnall Sept. 11, 1883 1,754,520 Marsh Apr. 15, 1930 1,870,959Morrison Aug. 9, 1932 2,103,013 Nirdlinger Dec. 21, 1937 2,123,103Fischel July 5, 1938 2,175,021 Gibbs Oct. 3, 1939 2,360,191 Beach et al.Oct. 10, 1944 2,561,084 Wickham et al. July 17, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTSGreat Britain -1-.. May 16,

